Symantec Simplifies SMB Security With Cloud-Ready Endpoint Protection

Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) today announced Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013, giving small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) choice by offering a cloud-managed service and traditional on-premise management in a single endpoint protection product. By simplifying the deployment options, SMBs have the freedom to very easily move to the cloud when they're ready without adding complexity to their environment. SMBs can also effortlessly protect their information at a time when targeted attacks have doubled against businesses with 250 or fewer employees, climbing to 36 percent of all targeted attacks.(1)

Nearly all SMBs have reported suffering from cyber attacks.(2) As a result, SMBs need scalable, easy-to-deploy and easy-to-manage security solutions to protect against the onslaught of malware and web-based attacks targeting their business. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 addresses these requirements by installing in minutes, protecting against viruses and malware, and updating automatically to deliver critical protection for laptops, desktops, and file servers. Built specifically for SMBs, this new solution delivers on Symantec's commitment to serving, enabling, helping and protecting this important business community around the world.

Simple, Fast and Effective Protection against Cyber AttacksSymantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 allows SMB owners and their employees to work confidently knowing they're always protected with features that include:

Management choice: The simplicity, power, and convenience of a cloud-managed service, or an on-premise management application, enables better budget management with a simple subscription fee that flattens operating costs and covers either management choice. Customers that prefer to initially deploy an on-premise management server can switch to the cloud at no additional cost when they're ready, which future-proofs their investment.

The cloud-managed service provides additional benefits to SMBs including:

Sets up in minutes: Easy setup in minutes that requires no specialized staff or training. There is no hardware to install or upgrade, as everything happens effortlessly over the Web. The user-friendly, web-based console allows SMBs to change security settings, set up alerts, and view reports with just a few clicks, and local security updates deliver better bandwidth optimization.

USB device control: New capabilities to detect and protect against harmful files from USB storage devices, which are commonly used to spread malware.

Partner Management ConsoleSymantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is supported by the Symantec Partner Management Console, which allows partners to easily monitor and manage their customers' environments using cloud-managed deployments of Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 and Symantec Backup Exec.cloud through a single web-based portal. The console enables fast customer set-up and accelerates partner profitability by reducing the costs of managing multiple customers and services while demonstrating increased value to end users.

Quotes

"Today's SMBs are four times more at risk of malware attacks than larger companies. Despite the risk, some just cross their fingers and wing it because buying, deploying and managing security systems is too complicated. Today's announcement demonstrates Symantec's commitment to simplifying information protection for SMBs," said Tom Powledge, vice president of product delivery, SMB and .cloud, Symantec. "It takes just minutes for a virus to destroy a business. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 protects it just as fast. It installs in minutes and updates automatically, so small businesses can be confident the lifeblood of their business -- their information -- is always protected against viruses and malware."

"Security issues don't discriminate by organizational size -- small businesses face the same threats as enterprises. Security is also complex and for small businesses it's getting harder to manage every day," said Jon Oltsik, senior principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "Protecting their business information needs to be simple or it won't get done. By providing one product with the choice of cloud-management or on-premise, Symantec makes it easy for SMBs to deploy and manage security."

"For any business, regardless of its size, data is a valuable commodity that must be protected. Today the most risky attacks are focused, employing malware often designed for a particular assault, and we're seeing cybercriminals increasingly setting their sights on small- and medium-sized enterprises," said Kevin Bailey, Research Director - European Security Software, IDC Research. "Now more than ever, SMEs need security solutions that make it effortless to protect their endpoints. Cloud-managed security solutions make it easy to protect their businesses from rapidly changing security challenges and risks."

"As a small business that needs to comply with HIPAA regulations, it's critical that we control how sensitive data moves within our company. With Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013, I can rest easy knowing that the service is carefully controlling access to USB media devices while preventing threats that might compromise our systems," said Josh Cook, IT Manager, The Cardiac & Vascular Institute. "The USB Device Control feature allows me to quickly and easily make sure that only authorized users have access to move, copy or add files using USB removable drives."

"We're a small IT department and our resources are often limited, but even one threat could seriously harm our business. Knowing Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 makes it easy to secure my business in minutes and that updates are automatic, I can focus on other strategic technology initiatives that drive our business forward," said Mayank Sharma, Project Manager/Network Systems Engineer, Child Advocates Inc. "Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 also protects my investment in endpoint security by giving me the option to move to the cloud when I'm ready. That tells me that Symantec understands the needs of my business both today and in the future."

"Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is the ideal product for our SMB customers," said Scott Anthony, Project Manager and Design Consultant at iFocus. "The solution comes cloud-ready which is a plus for our customers. They have confidence knowing that they can deploy the solution on-premise, or in the cloud when it works for them. This flexibility is something our SMB customers expect us to deliver and Symantec is helping us do just that."

Pricing and AvailabilitySMBs currently using a competing endpoint security product may qualify for discounted pricing on Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013. Symantec customers using a different Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition product may qualify for discounted pricing when switching to the new product. Symantec customers currently using Symantec Endpoint Protection.cloud are automatically transitioned to Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 and inherit all of the new features of the service. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is immediately available for purchase in select countries worldwide through Symantec's global network of value-added authorized resellers, distributors and systems integrators or directly through the Symantec e-store.

About SymantecSymantec protects the world's information, and is the global leader in security, backup and availability solutions. Our innovative products and services protect people and information in any environment -- from the smallest mobile device, to the enterprise data center, to cloud-based systems. Our industry-leading expertise in protecting data, identities and interactions gives our customers confidence in a connected world. More information is available at www.symantec.com or by connecting with Symantec at: go.symantec.com/socialmedia.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Any forward-looking indication of plans for products is preliminary and all future release dates are tentative and are subject to change. Any future release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality, or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Symantec, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by Symantec and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.